WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to create groups to communicate and share information with multiple people at once. However, sometimes you may wish to temporarily hide a WhatsApp group from view without having to archive it. Here are some tips on how to hide a WhatsApp group without archiving it.
Why Would You Want to Hide a WhatsApp Group?
There are several reasons why you may want to hide a WhatsApp group instead of archiving it:
- To reduce distractions – Hiding a busy group can help remove distractions when you need to focus.
- To take a break – Temporarily hiding a group allows you to take a break from it without missing out on messages.
- To clean up your chats – Hiding less important groups can declutter your main chats screen.
- To avoid awkwardness – You may wish to hide a group temporarily to avoid an awkward situation.
- To prevent snooping – Hiding a group increases privacy if you don’t want others seeing your groups.
The key benefit over archiving is that new messages will still arrive and you can access the group easily when needed.
How to Hide a WhatsApp Group on Android
There are a couple of straightforward methods to hide WhatsApp groups on Android devices:
Method 1: Using WhatsApp Settings
1. Open WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab.
2. Tap on the More options icon (3 vertical dots) at the top right.
3. Select Settings.
4. Tap on Chats.
5. Tap on Hide Archived Chats and toggle it on.
6. Go back and long press on the group you want to hide.
7. Select Archive chat. This will now hide the archived group.
Method 2: Using Group Settings
1. Open the WhatsApp group you want to hide.
2. Tap on the group name at the top to open Group Info.
3. Tap on Hide group.
4. Confirm if you want to hide the group.
The group will now be hidden from the main chats screen. To view it again, go to Settings > Chats and tap on “Archived chats”.
How to Hide WhatsApp Groups on iPhone
On iPhone, you can hide WhatsApp groups using the Archive feature:
Method 1: From the Chats Tab
1. Open WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab.
2. Swipe left on the group you want to hide.
3. Tap on Archive.
4. The group will be archived and hidden from the main Chats screen.
Method 2: From Group Info
1. Open the WhatsApp group you want to hide.
2. Tap on the group name to open Group Info.
3. Scroll down and tap on Archive Chat.
4. Confirm archiving the group when prompted.
The group is now archived and hidden. To view archived groups on iPhone:
1. Swipe left from the Chats tab to open the Archived chats screen.
2. Tap on a group to view it again.
How to Unhide an Archived WhatsApp Group
If you want to unhide an archived WhatsApp group and view it again in your main chats:
On Android
1. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats.
2. Tap on Archived chats.
3. Tap and hold on the archived group you want to unhide.
4. Select Unarchive chat.
On iPhone
1. Swipe left from the Chats tab to go to Archived chats.
2. Tap and hold on the archived group.
3. Select Unarchive chat.
The group will now be visible again in your main Chats tab.
Important Things to Note
Here are some important points to keep in mind when hiding WhatsApp groups:
- You will still receive notifications from hidden groups if you have notifications enabled.
- New messages in hidden groups will be marked as unread.
- You can open and view hidden groups anytime from Archived chats.
- Other members will not know if you have hidden the group.
- Group admins can still change group info and messaging settings while the group is hidden.
- Hiding a group does not delete any messages which remain accessible.
Pros and Cons of Hiding WhatsApp Groups
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is hiding a WhatsApp group the same as leaving it?
No, hiding a group simply archives it so it is not shown in your main chats list. You remain a participant of the hidden group. Leaving a group removes you as a member.
Can I mute notifications from a hidden WhatsApp group?
Yes, you can mute notifications by opening the archived group, tapping the group name, and selecting Mute notifications.
Will my messages send if I hide a WhatsApp group?
Yes, you can still send messages in a hidden group as normal and your messages will go through.
Can I get removed from a WhatsApp group if I hide it?
No, hiding a WhatsApp group only archives it on your device. You remain a member and the admin cannot remove you just because you hid the group.
Is there a limit on how long I can hide a WhatsApp group?
No, there is no limit on the duration you can keep a WhatsApp group hidden for. You can unarchive it anytime.
Conclusion
Hiding WhatsApp groups by archiving them can be useful to reduce distractions, take a temporary break, increase privacy, and declutter your chats screen. It is easy to do on both Android and iPhone. Simply use the archive option in group or chat settings. Remember hidden groups remain fully functional and you can still receive messages from them. Be aware of notifications and check archived chats occasionally for important updates. Use this hiding feature selectively to avoid missing out on key information.